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Day 17

Psalm 44:1b "Our fathers have told us..."

Day 17 – Psalm 44

“Our fathers have told us…” Psalm 44:1b

SUPERSCRIPTION OF PSALM 44

The superscription of Psalm 44 identifies the author(s).

“To the Chief Musician. A contemplation of the sons of Korah.”

1. This is another psalm of the sons of Korah, one of the major families of the Levites.

2. The nature of this psalm is identified as “a contemplation”.

THE DIVISION OF PSALM 44

Psalm 44 may be divided into three main portions:

1. A dignified past Psalm 44:1-8

2. A devastating present Psalm 44:9-19

3. A desperate plea Psalm 44: 20-26

THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL

There were two main ways in which the history of Israel was preserved and passed down from one generation to the next.

1. Written history

Historians were present from the earliest times in Israel’s history. One of the earliest historians was Moses. Then there were writing prophets (e.g. Isaiah, Jeremiah etc). A third group were professional scribes (e.g. Ezra). Among the scribes were the Levites, like the sons of Korah, who helped to preserve the nation’s history through writing.

2. Oral tradition

Reference to oral tradition may be found in the opening lines of Psalm 44.

“We have heard with our ears, O God.
Our fathers have told us,
The deeds You did in their days,
In days of old.”
Psalm 44:1

The past history of Israel may indeed be described as truly “gloriously dignified”. It was God who gave dignity to the small nation of Israel. He had indeed performed many miraculous and wondrous deeds for the nation. It was right that the mighty deeds of God should be recorded and remembered in every way possible.